


In the Hands of the Cold Future

by Liuny



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Good Mordred, Good morgana, Powerful Merlin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-20 10:46:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8246165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liuny/pseuds/Liuny
Summary: Merlin is sent, unwillingly; back to the past.





	1. Looking Back

**Author's Note:**

> You can go and read the 19 chapters in FF.net while I finish crossposting them here.

**Chapter I:** Looking Back.

Merlin appeared in the middle of nowhere with his sword still high. Trees surrounded him and something familiar that shouldn't be there, _was._ Merlin frowned and put his sword down cautiously, always looking with both (his human and magical) sights on, searching for the enemy; curiously though: the forest was silent, the trees were peaceful and the environment calm. He could almost cut his hand and say that he was in Ealdor. But how could that be possible? Ealdor's wood burned (killing everyone) after some unknown enemy decided to resurrect Nimueh and then command the bitch to unleash for the second time Cornelius Sigan, so they could ally themselves with Mordred and Morgana along their renegade group.

When war exploded, Arthur was heartbroken because Guinevere and Lancelot decided to elope after four years of a really hard marriage; this one betrayal was the punch that threw him to the ground to never stand up again; so he was more of a nuisance than help. By the time the queen and the first knight had left them, Merlin was playing pretend to be High King Arthur and trying in the best of his abilities to rule Camelot, while still being technically a _servant._ He didn't do much of service in those times, though. He did discover how much he hated giving orders to people.

Eventually Camelot's subjects took the hint and mysteriously began to call him _Lord_ without much of a thought. Arthur's people realizing the futility of their actions began to addressing him directly; instead of the King whom had decided to lock himself up in his room, pretty much like his father; the former King had done before his demise, leaving the throne outright empty and begging for being claimed by their enemies. It was then when things began to spin out of control and he needed to take control of Camelot more _officially._ He revealed himself to be _Emrys,_ Priest and Child of the Old Religion and with the power that title bestowed him; he declared that until Camelot's rightful King returned to the throne, it would his to keep.

No one even uttered a word. Half of the people cheered that they had a legal authority figure to fall to and the other half were too scared of him to protest his decision. In the long run everyone was ok with him being Camelot's keeper.

It became too much, right to the point where he wanted to kill himself… he had said so to Gaius when the pressure of being _King_ of a Camelot destroyed by war, took his toll on him. His mentor just held him in those nightmarish nights, in the middle of the current breakdown; urging him to be strong… because he was what was left between Camelot and the evil: the first line of Camelot's defense. He was Emrys no more, he was now: Camelot's first line defense. He was Arthur's voice, panacea to the people; strategist to the army and commander to the Guild of Sorcerers that he created to counter strike the _Evil Magic._ He didn't know in how long he had not sleep more than three hours at night (when he was lucky). He literally was living by the force of magic…

His feet gave him away and he wound up in the ground and then he did what he had not allowed himself to do, since Arthur fell into catatonia; so many years ago. He cried, he cried like a little child; he cried for Will, for Morgana; for his mother, for Arthur; for Gwaine, for Gwen and Lancelot and for some many people that died in this pointless war.

He had cried until the sun was shining no more in the sky. He felt _drained_ , _emptiness_ taking possession of his body; like if anything could matter anymore. He felt like he had lost.

"Merlin! Merlin, hon! Answer me, baby! Where are you! Come on, sweetie!"

"Mum?" Merlin breathed and suddenly his rage flared. What kind of sick joke was this?

"Merlin! Thank the Gods, what are you still doing here with this weather? Are you trying to catch a cold?" Hunith looked at his son, his eyes were flaring gold; two swirling pools of gold were shimmering in fore of his deep blue eyes. "Honey, what are you doing?" The woman, pretending to be his mother said, hugging him and guarding his eyes from everyone's nosy view. "What I have told you about using your magic like this, _Merlin Ambrosious?"_ Well, that was one point for his mother being there; only Arthur knew his middle name (and probably he had confessed it to Gwaine in one of his many drunken nights. "Merlin, have you been crying?" The voice concerned of his mother, the warm of her trepidation; her smell making him feels safe and in home made his tear ran free again. His head was a mess and hurt, it hurt so much that his vision flared white; he knew he was crashing and people suffered when he crashed and neither Gaius nor Gwaine were there to break his fall. He moaned in pain, his fell on his knees and then didn't know more of the world.

1

Hunith had never been so scared for Merlin in her life. She began to cry when his little baby began to writhe in so much pain and his powerful magic began to spin out of control that the only thing she could do was pray to the Gods of the Old Religion that gave her his baby that no one never found about what was happening and that whatever that was happening finish already. She felt her heart broke in little pieces when his beloved son passed out in her arms.

2

Merlin passed three days in a delirious state, in the second day; Hunith panicked and closed her house tight and tried to sort the situation the best she could. Thing flared, floated, exploded, morphed and Merlin was every of her waking hours; trashing and mumbling between terrible nightmares asking for forgiveness and for absolution, it was so heartbreaking; it was making her fret. When Merlin was in a pseudo restful state she had tried to feed him, he puked the food and then, without rest the nightmares began once again.

At the night of the third day, Hunith was tending his son and for the first time in those nightmarish three days, his son looked at her. She smiled, Merlin tried to emulate; before he could mold the smile, he passed out again. She feared that the cycle was to begin again, but Merlin slide into a peaceful rest; she felt that she could breathe again.

3

Merlin was trying to make out what the hell had happened. A few days ago he was breaking down, over the responsibilities of being "King" in the middle of the Great War while the real King was being his normal useless self, mourning his loved ones and now he was _here_ , and even Will was alive and he didn't even have gray hair (not that he had many of those anyway, he wasn't that old!) How the hell did that happened? He had tried everything: scrying, asking to the spirits of the forest, opened a portal to Avalon and what he had got? Every single person he had asked, had looked at him the same way, as if he was crazy, which _he wasn't;_ because _he wasn't,_ so _shut up!_

"Merlin, hon, I can hear you think from here…" He heard that his mother told him. He could not help it; he smiled at her; that of course only made his Mother warier. "Everything's all right?"

"Everything is fine, Mother." Hunith frowned. The manner of speech of his son changed from one day to another without an explanation that she didn't know what to think anymore. It seemed like Merlin was beyond of his actual years, so wise and so tortured, always waiting for the other shoe to fall down, to wake up and the dream and be gone.

"Merlin, since when do you call me 'Mother'?"

"I…" Aha! There was his son, stuttering.

"Merlin, I know that something it's wrong… what is so wrong that you can't talk to me?"

"It is not that I do not want to talk to you, Mother. It is that I do not understand the situation myself."

"What situation, Merlin? There _is_ not situation."

"So everyone say…" Merlin muttered, mutinous; under his breath. He still didn't believe he was not trapped in some sick illusion, and when he was able to break free: Morgana and Nimueh and Sigan and Mordred and that Bitch of Morgause were going to wish they were dead when he ended with them.

"Merlin! Your eyes!" Hunith scold her son, afraid that someone may see.

" _Ceil an Dealraigh a Rocacha"_ The woman heard Merlin whisper. Without delay the golden in his eyes was swallowed by the black pupils that were dilated leaving a fine line of blue of the sight; even if it was middle day and the sun was shining strong.

"Who taught you to do that?" Merlin looked at his Mother absently with his fingers in his lips.

"No one, I create that myself." Was the curt answer he gave his mother and then he spun on his heels with his hands on his back, leaving the place.

4

"Merlin, I… this is hard but I have decided to send you to live with Gaius…" Merlin turned around abruptly and looked at his mother. Hunith felt that Merlin saw her soul in that moment.

"I don't want to go to Camelot." He made his mother know all defensive. _Not again, not again!_ His head screamed, repeatedly.

"Merlin…"

"Mother, pardon me, but are you trying to get me killed? You do know that Uther Pendragon burn people like me, don't you?"

"You are getting careless with your magic Merlin. I am grateful for what have you done… but no more Merlin. I would not have you killed, just because you're a passing for a very late adolescent rebellion." That offended him, _adolescent rebellion?_ He hadn't even had time to be a proper teenager when he had been forced to kill countless psycho sorcerers that wanted to destroy Camelot; he was bereft of his childhood and did somebody cared? _No._ The things he had to hear.

"And because of it, you are going to write my death sentence?" He snorted skeptical.

"No, I'm sending you to Camelot so you can learn what I have been trying to teach you."

"Stop lecturing, Mother." Merlin uttered jaded. Hunith bit the inside of her mouth. What had happened to his child? Her sweet, naïve Merlin… her son was now bitter and distant. The same way she had seen people who had come from war; people who had seen hell and lived to tell the tale.

"Gaius had already accepted. I'm not asking you _Merlin._ You are going to Camelot and learn some self-restrain; maybe being away from William and see what Uther does to people like you, my son; will make you less reckless."

" _What will make me: it's going on a dark rampage to kill the bastard…"_ He didn't voice his thought, though. "As you wish, Mother; when shall I be going to my death?"

"Don't be petty, Merlin. I have taught you better than that and Gaius needs all the help he can get."

"I'm tired, mother. My head is hurting. Do you mind if I retire myself for the night?"

"What happened to you, my sweet, sweet child?" She conveyed hurt. Merlin's eyes became soft and he hugged his mother gently; trying to transmit all his love. He knew he had become cold, but he couldn't be that stupid Merlin again if he wanted to live and now that he didn't need to be _that_ Merlin, he didn't know how to come back…

"Life happened, Mother. I have been to hell and spit back… good night." He explained her, the best he could and then kissed her on her temple to go and laid himself to look at the stars, trying to overcome the insomnia that was consequence years of war.

5

If Merlin didn't want to believe he was in the past, well… that was his wakeup call… Camelot was shimmering and in its prime. His heart bombed loudly when he looked at Arthur Pendragon bullying a servant. He was alive! The prat was alive and careless and young and laughing even if cruelly. He felt his eyes prickled and the tears built up in his eyes. He couldn't stand much more of that so he resumed his way to Gaius' quarters.

He arrived still feeling the tears; all those years suppressing his feeling must be catching with him at last. The sight of that door made him take a deep breath and he did his be to prepare himself to look at his mentor, years younger. He knocked the door politely three times and waited for permission to enter the physician's room.

"Come on in." He heard from inside the room, his gut were twisting and churning inside. He pushed the door open and the smell brought back violently flashes of his "first" timeline. He did his best to conceal the dizziness and decided to look at Gaius and smile.

"I'm Merlin, Hunith's son?" He said when their sights crossed. Understanding took possession of his wise eyes.

"Of course! Merlin, my boy! I was waiting for you! How is your mother?"

"She is in good health, constantly worrying about me, even if I tell her I'm fine. You know, _mothers."_ The warlock smiled tenderly. He loved Gaius so much, it hurts… seeing him mentor there, _so_ "young", very well… so _hale_ and without worry shadowing upon his old shoulders. He wanted to hug the lights out of the physician, he restrained of course.

Gaius was surprised. When Hunith asked him for help, he was waiting for a disaster to cross that door… instead he gets a very polite child with wisdom beyond his years, engraved in his jaded deep blue eyes and a soft smile that seemed to be a little bit too glad to see him _again_. Merlin was too young to remember Gaius, it was something else.

"Well, here we are…" He said trying to break the awkward silence that befell the room.

"Indeed… goodness, let me show you, your room."

Merlin looked at the little room that he had not used in so many years: the uncomfortable and hard coat, the little window, the chunk where his kept his magic books, a nostalgic feeling took prey of him, he smiled.

"It's not much…"

"It's perfect Gaius." He interrupted the Physician before he could say anything else. His magic would made this room even more comfortable that the King's room, so he didn't care. "I don't need much. Do you want me to help you with something? I didn't bring much with me… ergh… you seem… somewhat _surprised…_ " He couldn't resist asking, he knew that look very well.

"Well, to be honest, my boy; I was expecting someone more _difficult_."

"I can be difficult if you want." And with those words, his accent changed; it surprised him because it sounded like the tight and somewhat posh accent the court of Camelot had. The way the words rolled his tongue, was the same way the nobles spoke. But Merlin was no noble… when Merlin smirked, he saw the younger Pendragon for a moment and that disconcerted him _again._

"Very funny, Merlin… I need you to help me to distribute some medicines… will you have any problem doing that?" He looked at the younger child suspicious.

"No, I think I can manage." Merlin smiled him to assure the old man.

"Very well, rest and familiarize yourself with the castle."

"Of course, Gaius."

6

Merlin was sitting on the steps of the terraces with a very mild spell that made him go unnoticed. He was watching Arthur and Leon fight, or better said: he was looking at Arthur beat Leon with his sword. He smirked gleefully. Behind the glamour that kept his blue eyes even when preforming magic, the gold gleamed and Arthur tripped giving Leon an opening. Everyone gasped when Leon actually won the fight. Merlin felt better with himself after that.

"Hello there, we saw you all alone and decided to come and introduce ourselves." The Warlock looked at his right from when the voice came from and he saw Morgana and Gwen, so young and so innocent. His eyes became bleak, so tangible that Gwen stammered.

"I'm the Court Physician apprentice…" He answered curt, but polite and then looked again to the field were the knights were doing their routine; repeating to himself that those weren't the people that made his life miserable.

"I'm Morgana and this is my good friend and maid, Guinevere." She introduced herself as promised, intercepting their sights. Merlin smiled in remembrance that was the Morgana he respected and adored; the woman that he once saw as an honorary sister and close friend.

"And he smiles!" Merlin chuckled at the antics of Morgana. "Well, it seems that the rumor mill it's wrong, as usual. You are quite famous between the maids, you know, _Court Physician Apprentice"._

"I'm in the rumor mill? Are the maids that desperate?" Merlin joked, giggling which surprised Morgana in a good way. By the gossip in the castle about 'Gaius' new boy' people said he was polite but aloof and sometimes quite distant. Gaius patients adored him and said that the kid had miraculous hands and of course it didn't hurt that he was handsome as well, with short dark hair, deep blue eyes, tall and slim and an aura of mystery surrounding him.

"See Gwen I told you he couldn't be as bad as the servants said…"

"Yes, My Lady." She looked shyly at the Court Physician apprentice; to be honest she was having a bit of a crush, after some days ago he had helped her selflessly and the he keep his way, she observed him from afar not being courageous enough to talk to him again. She only knew his name was Merlin and that all the maids were fawning all over him, but he never show them attention. She mentioned his troubles to her mistress and she took the matter with her own hands. "Hi, I-I'm Gwen…"

"Merlin." He answered, standing up because Arthur had given the order that the drill was over.

"The bird? Where?"

"No, my name is _Merlin."_ Morgana laughed discreetly.

"Oh! Of course! Silly of me, I'm sorry; I didn't mean that you were a bird or anything… I just…"

"Gwen, breathe. It's ok, really. Now, if you excuse me: _Duty Calls."_

"A real pleasure to meet you, _Mer_ lin."

"Likewise, Morgana; farewell." And he went along with the knights.

"What an interesting bloke. Don't you think, Gwen? Gwen?" She turned back to look at her maid. "What's wrong, Gwen?"

"He called you 'Morgana'!" Gwen was in shock.

"I noticed, as I said: interesting bloke."

7

Merlin tried his best to stay away from the business of the crown. He had even blocked the Dragon out of his head. He performed his duties and then stayed out of the way of everything that could take him to the future he had left behind and still had nightmares every single night. But destiny was a flicky thing, with one look at the singer Helen, he remembered about the son of the woman he didn't see die for a second time. He avoided being present in such events, he couldn't guarantee that his magic would not react and create a chain reaction before the massacre where innocent people were dying.

He was obligated to enter Helen's room, per Gaius' wishes; with a sigh he resigned to his destiny and looked around the room. Every single reflective surface was covered. He leaned against the door closing it.

"Ah, young lad… what can I do for you?"

"I cannot give you back your son, but the path you are walking will only lead you to your death…" The reaction was as expected, she tried to attack him. Merlin overpowered the grieving old lady as tender as he could. "Please, I have seen so many people die… don't waste the sacrifice your son did for you…"

"You don't understand." She shrieked with tears falling down.

"I do understand. I do… I-I have lost so much, you have no idea. I have nightmares; I choke in my dreams. Please, do your performance and leave… you will be getting a great reward for your singing. Go; live your life away from the pain. At least, think about it. Do it for your son." He begged trying to make her see reason. After his pleadings he left the room, hoping for the best.

8

After being forced to crush the fake Helena with a candelabrum (again) and shove Arthur out of the way of the assaulting knife; he quickly left the Great Hall feeling the annoying prickling in his eyes, warning him to search a safe place to cry _._ He found the darkest corner he knew the castle had and let the tears fall. Why the hell was he in the past if he could not change the future? He felt in despair, he felt hollow; his suicide tendencies came back to him abruptly choking the air out off of his lungs. His desires to live began to abandon him while the dread stalked him. He didn't want to live that future again. He couldn't stand to repeat over and over again.

"Merlin… are you all right, my boy? You left pretty quickly. It took me a while to found you." Emrys lifted his head and Gaius gasped. Merlin's face was full of tears and his eyes were glowing in that characteristic golden hue of powerful sorcerers. The young Warlock jumped at him, hugging him as if his life depended on it; choking and short of breath while the sobs became audible.

"Why? I don't want it! Not again!" He cried broken. He tried to say something else, but the chocked sobs didn't allow it.

9

Gaius left Merlin's room, with Merlin in some sort of catatonia. He had force feed him some valerian to calm the frazzled nerves of the vexed youngling and when he knew that Merlin was not going to do something stupid, even if he didn't know what exactly could constituted as "stupid" in this case; he decided to leave him alone.

" _Emrys…"_

"Helen or whatever the hell you call yourself." Merlin acknowledged miserable, the ghost of the fake Helen that appeared in front of him once that Gaius left the room.

" _Do not be troubled by my dead, Emrys… I am grateful. I now can see everything clearly and I thank you. I wanted to die; Emrys I wanted to be with my son and you granted my wish."_

"And who is going to kill me, then?" Fake Helen sighed with sympathy, feeling remorseful for the young warlock.

" _You have so much to live for, Emrys: to love, to hate, to feel, do not live for what does not exist yet."_

"Merlin, to whom are you talking to?" Of course the Court Physician was keeping an eye and an ear on him.

" _Farewell and Thank you, Merlin Emrys…"_ Gaius looked shocked at the ghost of the fake Helen dissolving in the night.

"Merlin?"

"She was the mother of the bloke, Uther decided to behead in all his greatness a few days ago." Merlin explained with hazed voice, looking at the void.

"You did the right thing, Merlin." The deep blue eyes of Merlin looked at him, like assessing.

"Right, because it doesn't matter as long as Arthur lives…" Merlin muttered devoid of emotion in his voice.

"I will give you something stronger. I don't like those bags under your eyes…" The Warlock chuckled with that spark that left his eyes so many years ago; ignited once more for a few seconds.

**TBC**


	2. Sorting Valiant

**Chapter II:** Sorting Valiant.

10

Merlin was woolgathering, looking at nothing in particular. Camelot was hosting the annoying annual sword tournament where the knights of the entire realm came to beat each other with _swords,_ obviously. Merlin could vaguely recalled something with snakes but it was extremely fuzzy in his mind, especially with Gaius drugging him so much; he didn't know what Gaius was expecting him to do. He opened his eyes and almost tripped as he hadn't done in years, with the sight of Arthur Pendragon in front of him, looking at him intently. He fell in his butt and frowned.

"What?" Arthur fidgeted and Merlin deepened the frown full his voice full of distrust.

"I…" Arthur started hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to say thank you…" Well, what do you know? That was a first, Arthur saying thank you for the weekly saving of his life. "For, you know… saving my life… my Father tried to reward you, but you disappeared so quickly and then Gaius said that you are not so well right now, so the King it's bidding his time." Despite his mind still being fuzzy Merlin rolled his eyes.

"I didn't do what I did for a reward. I don't want anything that your King can offer." The Warlock looked at Arthur whom had a very hurt expression on his face and was about to pout. Oh boy… Merlin sighed, _great…_ "Look, call it even, seriously; just be a great King or whatever." The younger Pendragon held him for his arm when he tried to escape. "Let me go, Arthur." Merlin warned.

"Whoever gave you permission to call me by my first name?" Said the prince, Arthur was shocked; it was like if somebody said: hey, did you see? The sky turned green!

"Ah, there you are, welcome back, prat…" though the only thing that Merlin said out loud was: "Prat", which was Merlin default response when Arthur was being a _prat_.

"Excuse me? Did you just call me a _Prat?_ Don't you know who I am?"The next thing that Arthur was going to say was: _Do you know how to walk on your knees?_

"Me? I would never, ever _dare_ to call the _Great_ Prince of Camelot a prat, _sire_." By the time Merlin finished with his angelic face, Arthur was twitching; that _nobody_ was mocking him and wasn't even trying to disguise it. The sarcasm was clearly noticeable in his voice, dropping like caustic arrows to his person.

"Are you being sarcastic?" Merlin arched one eyebrow.

"Are you the prince of Camelot? Now, if you excuse me, I'm busy. No, wait; I'm not, but I don't like your attitude…" And with that Merlin turned and walked away muttering about Prat kings that didn't know how to keep themselves alive; leaving one Prince of Camelot, gawking in his wake.

11

Merlin was returning from his morning deliveries and at some point of the walk something made the hair of his nape stand up. He looked at his left, the armory, and the first thing that got his attention was a yellow shield he shifted his sight, ghostly serpents danced around the shield… He grinded his teeth, Oh for fuck's sake! Merlin sighed, annoyed, tossing his hair with both hands frustrated and decided to ignore the fact that a lot people was going to die, _again._

"Um, he-hello Merlin…" Merlin stopped his frustrated breakdown to pay attention to Gwen.

"Gwen."

"Everything ok? You looked quite troubled from here. Can I… um, help you?"

"Ergh, nope; everything it's all right. Sorry you had to see that…"

"It's ok. It's not trouble. Do you want to talk?"

" _Lancelot, where the bloody hell are you when one needs you?"_ Merlin thought irritated. "Nope, everything is all right, in fact…" He cackled a little bit evil. "Why don't you forget that you spoke to me today, um?" Gwen looked entranced at Merlin's eyes which were swirling gold. How he had done to so many people in his life, he took Gwen's memories of those five minutes away, destroying them in the process.

"Yes, why don't I forget that I spoke to you today?" She agreed with him, forgetting it. In the haze of the oblivion spell, he bid his farewell.

"Ok, this is where I _um,_ run." The Warlock mumbled and walked away with quick steps.

12

Merlin looked at the poor knight dying from snake poison, breathing shallowly in the narrow bed.

"Merlin, are you ok?" Gaius asked his young ward, the Warlock looked at Gaius with his hands clasped together close to his lips.

"What would you do if you _knew_ who did this?" Merlin asked and the Court Physician assessed his protégé.

"Are you saying that you know how this knight ended being poisoned by a snake?"

"Hypothetically?" Merlin probed cautiously.

"Hypothetically, of course." Gaius decided to humor the young Warlock.

"Hypothetically, I may or may not have seen an enchanted shield that may or may not belong to a knight that for the sake of the hypothetically speaking shall remain unnamed…" Gaius rubbed his face with his hands.

"Do you know how this shield works? _Hypothetically…"_

"Parlor trick… nothing too fancy. Although in Camelot it may well be the Cup of Life, _hypothetically speaking;_ of course." Gaius opened his mouth to say something when he heard Merlin cursed.

"Merlin?"

"Fuck, someone is eavesdropping at the door." He left unsaid that he knew it was Arthur that was doing it. "Heard something interesting Arthur?"

"How the hell did you know it was me?"

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know?" The Warlock let him in, rolling his eyes.

"It is true what you said? This is the hand of sorcery?"

"Nice try, _your highness."_ Arthur cringed; hearing Merlin say 'Your Highness' was inversely proportional to his brain hearing: 'you dirty vermin'. "The moment I drop the 'Hypothetically speaking' I might very well be sentencing myself to a good flog; because you Pendragon's are so _intelligent."_ The farther he was from Arthur, the less his future will be likely to doom.

"Merlin!" Gaius chastised the young one, bemused.

"Oh, I'm so very much sorry… _sire."_ There he was doing it again, that was the most insincere apology he had heard in his life and he lived and breathed in the Court of Camelot.

"Merlin. What about we compromise, you tell me everything you _think_ you know and I shall never mention your name in front of my father; but knights are dying unfairly Merlin!"

"Life is not fair, Arthur. Deal with it. But you may or may not, _hypothetically speaking;_ be searching for a knight named Valiant, will you go away now? Don't you have princely duties to complete? I'm pretty sure you are a busy person. Good night, _sire._ "

It went unsaid that Gaius was _VERY_ concerned.

13

"Arthur, are you out of your mind? You want me to accuse a _knight_ of sorcery because a servant some told you about some fictitious magic shield?" Arthur bit his lips.

"You are right father. It was stupid of me to bring such a delicate subject like this."

"And don't you ever forget it, Arthur."

"Of course father" The Prince of Camelot bowed to his father and then spun on his heels, his eyes crossed with the azure orbs of Merlin whom had a knowing look in his face and was leaning on a wall inconspicuous, if somebody was not paying enough attention, Merlin would pass unseen.

"I told you so…" Merlin reproached him when he was close enough to be whispered in his ear. The Court Physician's Apprentice left him like some peasant not worthy of his time now that everything was said and done. Arthur had to admit to himself, feeling a bit lost and disgruntled.

14

Emrys was enjoying the sun while eating some confectionaries he had stolen from the kitchen early this morning when Arthur's Manservant of this week (Morgana was betting this was to be gone at the end of the tournament, as there would be no servants free due to the tournament and Uther made his point very clear).

Merlin flinched when the lad, walking with a pile of things, fell; stumbling with a very big rock that went unseen due to the great number effects on his arms. The Warlock could see the bone twisted in a very painful way.

"Don't move, chap." He didn't know the name of Arthur's servant of the week. "You ankle is very likely broken. Try not to move."

"I need to go!"

"And how are you planning on walking with a broken ankle? Don't you see the bone sticking like a ball on the skin? You are lucky it didn't penetrate the skin!"

"You don't understand! I need to prepare Prince Arthur for his match! Please! I need to go!"

"What happened?" A guard, passing by the scene asked, frowning.

"Can you take him to the Court Physician? He broke his ankle pretty badly. Do not concern yourself, I shall attend the Prince, go!"

Merlin sighed mutinously and began to gather everything that went flying because of the fall and when everything was ready, he hurried himself to Arthur's tent.

"Merlin! What the hell are you doing here? Where is Everest?"

"Everest? You sacked Everest like, a month ago…"

"What?

"Everest? I remember because Morgana told me that you were bitching about how he left hair everywhere." That left Arthur a bit dumbfounded. Since when was Morgana and Merlin so chummy? And why Merlin pay attention to Morgana, but left Arthur aside like chopped liver?

"Whatever, what are you doing here?"

"Your manservant had a rather ugly accident that involved a rock and a very twisted ankle, so I butted in; but then again you are a grown up and can dress yourself. Here, good luck."

"Wait, Abby got in an accident, is he ok?" Merlin arched an eyebrow and Arthur cleared his throat. "What?"

"You sacked Abby like, two weeks ago because you didn't like him having a girl's name." He remembered because that was so far the most stupid reason Arthur had come with to sack somebody. Morgana laughed for days when she found out (after being outraged with Arthur, of course).

"Liar!"

"Should I ask Morgana?"

"No! Fine! Whatever!"

"Well, here are your clothes, sire. I will show myself the exit, because I can see I'm not welcome here."

"No! Wait!" Merlin spun again and looked at him in the eye, making him uncomfortable.

"Yes?"

"You have to help me! How do you pretend I fasten the brooches on my back!" Arthur _asked_ for help. Merlin rolled his eyes… Pendragons…

"But you said…"

"Merlin!"

"Ok, there is no need to yell." Merlin murmured somewhat mutinous. Arthur wanted to say something but he restrained himself.

With every new servant Arthur gained, at first, the undressing and, consequently, dressing, was terrible and awkward and not just for the servant, but Arthur too felt awfully vulnerable and he hated it. Some people trembled, others leered and there was one who even tried to undress him with his eyes closed, needlessly to say he didn't last pass that night. Merlin did neither… which he should have been expecting. Merlin tended to send his expectation flying out the window. He knew the bloke wasn't a servant; he lived _free_ in some town bordering Camelot and Cendred's kingdom, but the way and the easiness which he was performing the task told him he had done this for many years, which was contradictory.

It was unnerving that Merlin seemed to understand how to fit everything perfect in his body. Everything was in his right place and nothing was grazing or prickling or _wrong_. No servant had gotten it right the first try, in fact, he always ended doing the last arrangement himself, but this was _perfect,_ which was unnerving, as he had said before. Merlin seemed to know his body from memory and his hands were ridiculously soft for a poor farmer boy, but then again, sometimes Merlin seemed to move like a noble: graciously and restrained and the way he spoke always brought him flash backs of the courts held by his father.

Merlin went to fetch the sword and murmuring a few words; he had made some last minutes modification to avoid the prat being killed by magic even if this wasn't his fight with Valiant.

"Arthur." The Warlock called the Prince to attention as he was just lost looking at him.

"Yes?"

"Your sword…" He gave him the sword and Arthur felt the metal tingling in his fingers. "Good luck, in your silly game of beating yourselves with swords, _sire_. _"_ And for a moment, all the tension in Arthur's shoulder seemed to vanish. Merlin smirked knowingly and Arthur laughed a little before getting on his way, leaving the brunet standing there lost in his memories.

Arthur won the match, easily. He looked for Merlin only to find out that he wasn't there; princes didn't feel disappointment, but if he wasn't a Prince, then maybe, just maybe, that would be what he would be feeling.

15

Merlin's recollection of his former time line may not be as clear as he would like but he did know that when the news that the poisoned knight may be living, Valiant would send one of those blasted snakes to finish the job and the Warlock would be waiting and he would do something very cruel to the fucking thing. That was why he found the servant whom attended Valiant and alas, that finishing the job was going to be tonight.

"Merlin, shouldn't you be sleeping?" Merlin winced inside. How to tell Gaius that he hadn't done much sleeping in uncountable years? The Physician observed that Merlin was reading one of his many books of history; mostly boring to the youth, but very enjoyable for scholars and old men like himself. Merlin was one surprise after another, because he actually looked like he was really enjoying the book. "How do you find that book?"

"Interesting, I'm pretty sure you have read the uncensored version. It's amazing how much the history changes from one King to another, don't you think, dear Gaius?"

"Are you planning on sleeping anytime today?" He didn't say anything about how easily Merlin spoke traitorous things about the King.

"I'm going to finish this chapter and then I will sleep. I promise." Merlin replied, easily lying.

"Then, until the next day, Merlin."

"Of course, Gaius. Sweet dreams…"

"I should be one wishing you sweet dreams, my dear boy. You always seem to be in need of them." Merlin gave Gaius a sad smile.

Emrys smirked quite diabolic when he saw the snake slithering, using the poles on the ceiling. When the thing prepared to attacked, Merlin just froze it.

"As I said before: Parlor Trick…" The brunet went searching for a jar of pure glass to milk the reptile and when he found it and was in front of the snake. "Open your mouth. Don't make me beg or do something really, really bad. You wouldn't believe my sadistic streak. Fine, have it your way…" The not-quite-so-last of the Dragon Lords commanded the magical creature whispering to it in the dragon dialect and the snake hopelessly gave in. "Whatever made you think you could go against me?" Merlin snorted very un-Merlin-like. "If I didn't know better I would let your fucking master end the Pendragon line once and for all, so they could search for another king and be done with it. But alas, that isn't going to happen. So yeah, that is why I hope for the best and plan for the worst. My personal motto when dealing with the Pendragon's, I must be really desperate to be talking so chummy to a frozen serpent. I'm pretty sure that Gwaine would have lots to say about that. Shut up, Merlin." He talked to himself, not knowing that Gaius was very awake, with a concerned look on his face while Merlin kept blabbing with himself while making some sort of potion, if it was magical, however, he didn't quite know. "Now I promised you hell, but I'm actually tired, so I would try to sleep and you are going to vanish into oblivion, and tomorrow we will do our best to keep Arthur alive for that stupid tournament."

16

"Merlin? Do you want something?" The prince asked when the Warlock appeared in his tent. Merlin was staring with an arched eyebrow, watching the poor servant of the week (or for the tournament) jump and stumble and trip, trying to move with dignity with only one good leg.

"Go away and rest the feet lad or do you want to lose it?" Merlin told the young servant. Arthur, at some point of his life was going to stop being surprised by Merlin… but not today, especially when the little bugger commanded _his_ manservant to go away like he was the King of Camelot and the stupid manservant, whose name he still didn't remember, had the audacity of listening to him and even bow to him.

"What the fuck it's wrong with you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about. You were going to an unmitigated disaster with that poor kid trying to dress you with only one leg working."

"So you butted in…?" He drawled irritated, but in the end leaving Merlin to do whatever the hell he wanted. Merlin ignored him, as usual and when everything was in place, the Warlock spoke again.

"One piece of advice Arthur, your match is against Valiant, in the moment you see the ghostly serpents: you are going to cut them with your sword." Arthur opened his mouth. "Believe me your sword is made of awesomeness, it will cut them through. Oh! Right, I forgot; if by any chance you do get bitten, you have about five seconds to kill the bastard and, because I too am awesome, I have the antidote just right here." He said auto sufficient showing him a phial. "Go and try not to get killed, you prat… if everything gets screwed I've got a plan B. Pray that we don't have to get to it. Arthur, I know it's one of your worst faults, but _don't underestimate Valiant._ " Before Arthur could defend himself against the accusations, Merlin had left him and he suddenly felt like if all the weight of the world was dumped on his shoulders. If only Arthur had half of the confidence that Merlin seemed to have in him. He took a deep breath and took the plunge.

17

Merlin winced and hit his forehead with the palm, after Arthur managed to get poisoned by the stupid snake. He had told the Prat that there were two snakes left in the shield. Underestimating the enemy was going to be Arthur's doom, he cut one and then Valiant commanded the other one, the worst of all? Uther was, as usual; oblivious to anything magical happening in the arena. He looked momentarily at Morgana, he sighed relieved. Morgana had that "OMG! I'm super worried about it and if you continue, I might have to beat you with _my_ sword" look on her face. He was never going to let her live this one down.

"So much for trusting Arthur with something like this…" Gaius looked at Merlin, whom opened his eyes wide and instead of the golden flash the pupils dilated; a few seconds later Valiant began to choke and Arthur, by mistake with a misdirected stab, mortally wounded the knight, the prince was not fairing much better either. He was pale and shaken and was clearly having trouble breathing.

People went on a rampage when the Prince of Camelot won the tournament; blind to the fact that if the antidote was not administered quickly their beloved prince would die. Arthur remembered that Merlin had told him to come quickly and find him in case of being poisoned. He could see the tents but he couldn't walk anymore, everything was multiplying by four. Merlin caught Arthur before he end up in the floor, giving himself a concussion to add to the poison. The Warlock uncorked the phial and tried feed Arthur the antidote. Arthur was not being very helpful.

"The things I do for you, Prat!" Merlin took Arthur to the tent and when they were inside he bespelled the tent to be ignored. Putting Arthur's head on his lap the Warlock opened the Prince's mouth and poured a bit of the liquid trying to get it passed by massaging Arthur's throat to make the reflexes come to life. He let out the breath he didn't know he was holding, when the antidote went down the unconscious prat's throat and poured the rest, lucky for him; he would need to put his mouth on Arthur's to make him swallow.

He left Arthur carefully on the floor and now he could only wait. He materialized a book and began to read, waiting for the unconscious Prince to wake up.

18

The first thing that Arthur saw when he woke up was something red. Why would he wake up with a red sky? Was there a sky of that color? Weren't red skies a _bad omen?_ No, he was clearly mixing omens… The Once and Future King frowned while blinking furiously trying to clear the cobwebs in his mind, suddenly a face appeared in that red sky. Dark hair and blue eyes looked at him.

"Are you with us yet, Arthur?" He jumped scared and was about to yell like a woman but then he remember that he was a prince and princes didn't yell like a woman.

"Merlin! What the hell!"

"Good, you're conscious again. Good job getting yourself poisoned in the arena…" The Warlock chastised Arthur, scowling.

"Well I'm sorry that I got poisoned in the arena Merlin! I don't know if you noticed it's not particularly easy to dodge those fucking _magical snakes_ randomly popping out of a _magic shield!"_ Merlin ignored his protests _again_ and instead looked at him closely. "Wha-What are you doing?"

"Stay still Arthur. I'm just looking at your iris."

"Right, because that's not creepy at all. Merlin, get off me."

"I'm looking at your iris, you prat, trying to see if there will be some secondary effects like what happened to the other knights that were poisoned, but _fine_ , have it your way. _Prat."_ He repeated just for the sake of the argument.

"One can do that?" Arthur asked surprised. Merlin nodded somewhat meekly.

"It's called Iridology it was formerly a _-mancy._ But with the ban of magic…" Merlin decided to shrug and stand up.

"I am going to be ok?" Arthur didn't like the Machiavellian smirk appeared on Merlin's lips.

"You'll be fine, relax. Now, you should go and tell your father that you were tumbling with a maid or something…" The prince scowled. "You have been unconscious for more than an hour Arthur.

"And they have not searched the tent?"

" _And the sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them."_ Merlin answered him quite cryptic.

"Meaning?"

"Are we not lucky?"

"I don't believe in coincidences…" He said suspiciously, he had been lost for more than an hour after the tournament and nobody came asking for him on his tent? Call him paranoid if you want, but he didn't buy it.

"Good, that will get you far. Well, _sire_ , I left you to your post-tournament ablutions, shall I call for Pence?" Arthur was going to criticize Merlin's sarcasm as he normally did, but he didn't know any "Pence's".

"Who the hell is _Pence?_ "

"Your manservant?" Merlin asked confused.

"His name is _Pence?"_ Now, he didn't see _that_ one coming.

"Yes?" He thought Arthur was joking when he said he didn't know the name of his manservants.

"Can't you finish the job?" Arthur really wanted Merlin attending him. In fact he would sack every other poor excuse of a servant until Merlin accepted to work for him.

"Do I look like your servant?" The Warlock questioned, crossing his arms on his chest and arching an eyebrow.

"Please?"

"Did you just say: please?" That surprised him, _a lot._

"With sugar on top?" The Prince tried his best puppy face, he knew he was irresistible.

"Oh for the gods' sake! Come, you overgrown child…" Emrys took the Once and Future King's hand and dragged him.

"Wait! Merlin! Wait!"

"Life waits for no man, Arthur!"

"What?"

"Oh look, there's Arthur." Morgana pointed out calmly. The knights were freaking out like ants in the rain, because their prince was MIA.

"And Merlin…" Gwen finished pointing with a finger and followed them both.

"Merlin!" Morgana called in a loud voice. Merlin hearing his name, halted for a moment.

"Morgana! Gwen! Can't talk, I'll see you guys later!" And with that frugal greeting he continued on his way to the castle dragging Arthur with him.

"You gotta love that boy!" Morgana chirped happily and stopped waving her hand.

"Was Merlin _dragging_ Prince Arthur around?" Morgana just giggled before Gwen's traumatized face.

**TBC**


	3. The Earth and Water Thingy

**Chapter III:** The Earth and Water Thingy

19

Merlin woke up that morning with all the hair in his body standing up. Yes, even the hair on his head, which was going to cause him a lot of trouble. He tried to placate his crazy hair with no avail. He exited his room and he found Gaius having breakfast, yeah, he already knew that today the world was conspiring against him.

"Merlin…?"

"Good Morning Gaius…" He cut the Physician before he could comment on his hair.

"Merlin…" The old man warned.

"What?" The poor Warlock answered.

"What is happening to your hair?"

"Crap…" He muttered going straight to the basin and drowning his hair in it, when he got his hair out of the water and he looked at himself in the mirror, he twitched. "I shall be hiding in my room. Call me if Arthur is dying, about to or in fear of…" And with those words he spun on his heels and closed the door with a soft click.

20

"Merlin, you look atrocious with that stupid neckerchief on your head."

"How do you propose I explain why my hair looks like if I was struck by a lightning bolt?"

"You are bright chap, Merlin; you will figure out. Now; take off that silly thing off your head. It's aggravating enough when you wear it around your neck…" Merlin muttered mutinously but complied, storing his beloved neckerchief in his pocket. His hair went immediately up. Gaius gave him the eyebrow of doom which made him twitched. "Sometimes I wonder about you, Merlin."

"How is this, my fault!" He cried in despair, trying to placate the hair, which was not being very collaborating.

"It is not, now shush, my boy." Gaius kneeled where the body was and when Merlin looked at those white eyes, he felt like puking. Those eyes and the absurd amount of people that died in the water plague were hard to forget. Fuck, fuck… Nimueh and her fucking poop creature! He tried to feel the magical presence of Nimueh or even the _whatever-the-hell_ creature Nimueh called forward was, but everything was calm and silent. "Merlin!" The Physician tried to snap his assistance's head out of the clouds.

"What?"

"Something's wrong?"

"No, sorry; I got distracted for a moment. What do you want, Gaius?"

"I want to know, what got you upset so suddenly!"

"My hair, for starters… I need to go. Don't drink water from the public well, Gaius! I mean it! DON'T!"

"Merlin!" But the Warlock was already gone.

21

"Merlin! Hon! What are you doing here? Here, you have to taste theses pastries, they are to die for."

"Sorry, Mrs. Delia, I don't have time! But I'll take you word for it. Can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything for you, Sweet Cheeks!" She smiled content.

"I need you to _not_ get water from the well outside the walls of the castle."

"Why would you ask for something like that Merlin? The other one it's miles away!"

"Argh! I know I'm going to hate myself later for this." Merlin quickly pecked her lips and her lips became sort of blue. "Don't get water from the well outside the walls of the castle, do you understand?"

"I will not get water from the well outside the walls of the castle, Lord Emrys." The cook spoke hazed, with a white membrane already formed in her eyes

"Good. I'm sorry Mrs. Delia; this is for your own good." And with that he went away.

22

Merlin tied again the neckerchief to his head, covered up his arms with some black linen he found and armed himself with two transfigured sticks of silver as he began to search for Nimueh's creature, ok, maybe the sticks were an overkill… his hair was indication enough, but better more than less.

"Hey! You!" Emrys heard that Arthur shouted. Merlin straightened and semi turned, Arthur seemed agitated. _Right,_ the King surely found out about the people dying.

"You yelled, Arthur?"

"Merlin?" The Prince stopped abruptly, looking the other boy. He was beginning to think that Merlin was actually crazy, what with the kerchief and the black bandages around his arms and the sticks in his arms. "What's that thing in your head and what's up with all the bandages, did you hurt yourself?"

"My head is cold." He made him known, looking ever less sane in the process.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You ask me that a lot. I don't know what are you talking about and if you are going to just get into my nerves; I will go away now, _sire."_

"Merlin, do you realize I am the Prince of Camelot, don't you?" Of course the idiot only looked at him as if saying: 'your point?' "And that one day I may be very, very angry and send you to the dungeons?" He didn't get any reaction from the peasant, which only made him even more annoyed.

"Well, _sire_. That day I will confirm that you are just a spoiled prat and stop acknowledging you whatsoever and from my cold and inhospitable cell I shall write my mother, cry and exaggerate a little about my cruel fate and maybe she will see the light and let me return home…"

"What? You don't want to be here?"

"What was your first clue?" Was the exasperated answer he gave the Once and Future King. "Now, shush; I'm busy." And with that he put with sticks in the correct position to keep searching.

"Wait." Merlin sighed angrily.

"What now?"

"Have you seen Gaius? My father is summoning him, urgently."

"Yes…" Arthur let his hope high; maybe he could now have lunch. "He just got out of my pocket and ran away." The prince wanted to hurt Merlin until he was all bruised, twitching on the floor.

" _Mer_ lin, get out of my sight before I do something I'll regret later…" Arthur growled, grinding his teeth. The sorcerer was not even fazed.

"Yes, I have been trying to do that since this conversation began… you are the one who keeps coming and calling me back!" The Warlock huffed annoying.

"NOW!"

"Prat." Merlin muttered irritated and with all the calmness in the world he went on his way. Arthur wanted to hurl something to the head of the idiot; unfortunately he didn't have anything with him.

"One of these days… one of these days!"

23

"Aha! At last!" Merlin did a little bit of a victory dance, when finally he could feel the creature after so many hours. His hair was all hotwired and the silver sticks were moving like mad.

"MERLIN! They are accusing Gwen of Sorcery!" The warlock turned around and arched an eyebrow. Morgana was upset and short of breath.

"I beg your pardon?"

"GWEN, Merlin! GWEN! Uther is accusing Gwen of Sorcery!" He did remember, fuzzy in his mind that Gwen was accused of sorcery because he, behaving like an idiot; went and saved her father, but now what was Uther thinking? "I spoke with Arthur, but he wasn't very receptive. In the end he just yelled at me and asked me: what the hell I wanted from him! Can you believe it!"

"And what do you think that I can do; when not even the _Prince_ of Camelot could?"

"Have a little bit more heart than Arthur and help me save Guinevere, Merlin!" The Warlock just sighed and pocketing his silver sticks he spoke:

"Fine, let's blame myself and then go and tell Arthur there is a creature lurking in the caves that provide the water supply, and it's what is infecting the people."

"What? Are you out of your mind? And how in all heavens do you know that?"

"What do you think I have been doing all these days? Dallying?" Morgana was taken aback by his words. "For your information I was the first person that knew about this shit!"

"I… I didn't know, I'm sorry… for imply that you didn't care."

"Apology accepted."

"Well, let's get going, we shouldn't let Gwen too much time in the dungeons…"

"Merlin, I would really felt safer if you are with us when Arthur _kills_ the _thing."_

"Aw~ don't you trust the mightiest knight of the seven kingdoms?"

"Hardy, har, har… Merlin, you are a comedian. This is serious!"

"I'm proposing solutions and I only hearing you creating more problems…" Merlin pointed out really calmed. In comparison with all he had had to suffer in the past (now future?) this wasn't even a crisis. Yes, people were dying but he knew how to stop before everything went too far. That shut Morgana up.

"Do you think that if we end this, Uther will see reason?"

"Most likely…" He answered sincerely.

"Let's go and find Arthur so he can slay your supposed creature."

24

"Well, my two least favorites people in the world. What, coming to annoying me even more, because my father is not enough?" Arthur was beyond annoyance, speaking ill of his father? He was leaving piss off behind and going into fucking rage.

"We know what it's causing the plague. Well, Merlin knows…" Merlin saw Morgana. Oh, brave, courageous Morgana.

"Seriously?"

"Did you really think I was just buggering you off when I told you I was busy? Nice…" Now Merlin was really offended.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"I was being irrational." Merlin shrugged dismissively.

"I can't believe you Merlin! Well, where is said _'creature'?"_ He decided to get to the point before he went mad.

"No so far from here… in the caves in the outskirts, it's poisoning the water supply." Merlin pointed out the place approximately with his finger through the window.

"What kind of creature _pollutes_ water? _WHY?"_ Arthur couldn't understand why somebody would want to contaminate the water _everybody_ drank…

"Well, there is this crazy sorceress whom hates you father and has a few screws loose in her head, she decided to make the people pay." Merlin smiled, and Arthur wanted to smack him again.

"Do you even know the _fucking sorceress_ whom is doing THIS?" The only thing going on in Arthur's head was: un-fucking-believable.

"Hypothetically?"

"Stop with the fucking hypothetic bullshit Merlin!" The urges of hurling something at Merlin were coming back with urges to kill.

"Yeah…" He replied happily. Maybe he had a few screws loose, too. "Her name's Nimueh, she is the High Priestess of the Old Religion. She is like the more powerful _magical person_ in the whole world!" He giggled, asking himself what was wrong with him.

"And since when did you know all of this?" The Prince took a deep one, restraining himself from going and choking the fucking idiot.

"Pretty much the same time I knew there was a magical creature lurking?"

"Oh my God, you idiot! Why didn't you say ANYTHING? We have to tell father!"

"Yeah, you go and tell Nimueh is doing this! Do you want repeat Valiant three times worse?" That made Arthur relents. "Because that's what is waiting for you when you blurt that name. Do even you know why Nimueh's still alive?" He shouldn't be playing games with Arthur's mind like this, but he couldn't care less right now.

"I was going to ask that… knowing Uther she would be the first person to die… wouldn't she?" Morgana reasoned, looking at the men.

"You might want to ask your father that, _after_ this crisis. We don't need another purge… thank-you-very-much."

"I supposed you have a plan."

"Don't I always?"

"Want to share with the class, _Mer_ lin?"

"Let's go and find the creature. No point in putting this off anymore, we are as prepared as we'll ever be. Don't forget your sword." He told Arthur, starting to walk to the door

"Wait, I need to go and find my sword too!"

"Don't bother Morgana; you are not going to need it." Merlin warned off Camelot's Princess.

25

Merlin walked them to the cave; the short journey was made in utter silence. He felt mourning a little his past relation with Arthur, but this was better than the impending future. Once they arrived, Arthur made them stop.

"Ok, we stop here, _now_. What's this so called plan of yours?" The Prince demanded to know.

"Bait the thing and kill it? It's really fool proof."

"I'm beginning to believe that you really have a metal affliction Merlin. Are you out of your mind? Which what exactly are you planning to kill this 'supposed' creature?" The Once and Future King quoted with his finger exasperated.

"With your sword, of course…"

"Are you INSANE? Of what do you think my sword is made of Merlin?"

"Didn't I tell you, your sword was made of awesomeness before?" This time even Morgana looked at him, seriously considering sending him to the asylum.

"Ok, let's stop this nonsense, Merlin." Morgana stepped into the argument. "What creature are we facing, first and foremost?" This enterprise needed some control before all of them ended dead.

"Some thingy made of earth and water." Merlin explained with the stupidest words he could find, because even if the name was eluding him, right now, and saying it wasn't going to clue the magic hating raised children anything about the creature.

"'Thingy'?" Obviously Arthur didn't appreciate the explanation.

"Yeah, right now I can't remember the name, and I really don't need the name to vanquish it, because I already know how to kill it."

"With my sword?"

"Yes, Arthur; with your sword…"

"Merlin, my sword is made of vulgar steel. What do you think steel is going to do to this super powerful creature?" He tried to make Merlin see reason.

"And I'm telling you, you will kill the thing with your sword. I have let you down so far?"

"You have to admit that is kind of farfetched, Merlin." The Seer sided with Arthur this round.

"Fine, what do you want to do? Get back to Camelot and recruit Leon and other four knights and then bring them here…?"

"Yeah… how do you…?" But Merlin kept talking without paying him attention.

"So they all meet their death, when I've told you that you can kill it with only your sword?"

"Now when you put it like that." Morgana muttered taking her hands to her chin.

"We need back up Merlin! Are you trying to get us killed?"

"Yeah, I take all this trouble to save your life _several times_ so now I can go and undo all my hard work? Right, because that's more coherent…"

"Morgana…" Arthur called for help.

"He does seem confident." She pointed out.

"I don't _seem_ anything, Morgana. I am confident."

"Merlin, if I die in this bloody cave I will haunt you until you go crazy…, crazier or die… do I made myself clear?"

"Do not worry, sire. I promise that if you die here I'll do everything in my power to revive you from the death…"

"Let's go and kill your 'thingy of earth and water'" Merlin smiled happily. "Stop smiling, you are creeping me out."

"Of course, sire."

"What's up with the sire?"

"I live to mess with your mind, Arthur." Morgana snorted, trying to hold her laughter back. The Prince glared at her that only made it worse.

26

"What's that Merlin?" Arthur asked with his sword drawn. Merlin pulled something out of his pocket when they were deep enough.

"Bait." He stated simply.

"And now?"

"And now we wait… you can lower your sword Arthur. You will have plenty of time to raise it up, I promise." Arthur looked at him suspiciously. "Trust me." He told him touching carefully his wrist with his penetrating gaze, so full of many things that made Arthur's head and heart said: "yes, always" that perturbed him a little, but he did lower his sword.

"How exactly this creature looks?" Morgana break the moment. Merlin stopped touching Arthur and the prince took a step back.

"Ugly… brown… you'll see." He couldn't offer anything more concrete. He didn't remember that well.

"Merlin…" Morgana called his attention when she felt something churning in her lower abdomen and the hair in her skin went up. Arthur noticed that Merlin's short hair went up, _magically._

"Up your sword, Arthur." Merlin ordered taking a step back to give Arthur space to stab the creature.

"I don't hear anything…"

"NOW!"

After the Warlock shout Arthur felt the ground trembling and he saw it.

" _Light your fire and let the wind blows all across_." Merlin chanted posing his eyes in the sword; his pupils dilated, because the glamour that changed the golden flash for the dilatation of his pupils was still in place.

The Prince froze in fear for the first time in a long time. His sword couldn't cut through that, no matter was Merlin said. They needed back up; they needed it fast so he made the most sensible decision: he ran…

" _What are you doing! You had it right there!"_ Was what Arthur heard Morgana and Merlin saying, though it may not be those exact words, he was not at his better.

"Merlin, I know what you said! Look, I trust you with my life, ok? I don't know why, but you seem pretty invested on it… I just don't trust my life to this bloody sword, OK?"

"Merlin! BEHIND YOU!" Morgana yelled scared.

Arthur blinked disoriented, Merlin moved his hands to the side and suddenly a staff made of some sort of imperial violet metal was in his hands out of the nowhere. With really practiced movements Merlin hit the creature with the staff in a semicircular motion keeping it at bay and when his hands were in the other side of his body the staff was no more. Arthur was about to think he imagined the whole thing, no human could move so fast, but he was feeling so out of his mind that he couldn't negate or affirm anything in his present condition. Merlin threw Morgana to an opening and then pulled Arthur to make him do the same.

" _Repel"_ Emrys casted and then followed the Princes of Camelot.

"Arthur."

"What, what?"

"I need you to get your shit together and stab the thing." He urged, putting his hands in the Prince's shoulder and shaking him gently. "Do you trust me? You only need to hit it! Yes?"

"Yes! I trust you, I'll do it!" Maybe he was crazy, but Merlin made him feel him invincible.

"You ok, Morgana?" The warlock looked at the seer whom was tearing her dress to have a better chance to escape if needed.

"I'll live." She cleaned the sweat away crudely with one hand.

"Good, let's go. Here it comes." The creature was finishing breaking the small space that separated them. "Arthur. C'mon! DO IT, DO IT NOW!"

With a war cry Arthur charged against the creature with all his strength. Merlin taking advantages of his powers, slowed the time so he could have time to chant so Arthur could slay the beast.

" _Light your fire and let the wind blows all across."_ Emrys repeated the enchantment and when the sword penetrated the beast, Arthur's sword; unknowingly to the Prince, burned up; making the creature burst. They got caught in the explosion and consequently bathed in.

When everything calmed down a little, Arthur was shaking and panting with his hands on his knees, Merlin could hear his own heart beating in his throat; pumping in his eardrums while everything was swirling in a wide range of colors, he didn't even know when he shifted his sight; Morgana was the first to talk.

"Merlin, tell me this is just dirt…" The Princess begged miserably.

"Yeah…" He answered her, breathless. "I think so…" It smelled like wet dirt anyway.

"Good, dirt… dirt I can handle… You ok there, Arthur?"

"Against all odds?" He asked laughing shakily. "Yeah and in one piece too."

"That was bloody awesome Arthur." Morgana made him know in awe; closing the space between them. Merlin looked at the brothers and something in his chest flared. He took his dirty hand close to his lips, if only… "I apologize for what I said before; you fill your armor and then some more." The knight laughed again.

"Yeah, well, we all were under a lot of pressure. You are not really my least favorite person in the world…"

"Of course, Arthur." She smiled kindheartedly at him. Arthur felt funny… Morgana never, ever smiled like that except to Gwen… he felt like being granted a great rare privilege. "Where's Merlin?" Morgana inquired looking around and suddenly worrying again.

"MERLIN!" Arthur yelled, trying to pinpoint where the idiot was now.

"HERE ARTHUR!" They followed the voice and arrived to a chamber where the water was contained. Merlin showed them something broken, like the empty shell of a very big egg. "This should suffice to clear Gwen's name. Show him the mark, your father is bound to recognize it."

"Thank you, Merlin." Morgana thanked him, genuinely.

"Why are you thanking me for? Arthur was the one who plunged the thing."

"Yeah, I still don't get how this sword destroyed that thing…" Arthur looked at the sword. Said weapon was shattered, only the handle remained.

"Arthur, don't look a gift horse in the mouth…" Merlin advised him. Morgana smirked.

"Well, I'm sorry for being curious…" Arthur grumbled annoyed; but he sobered quickly. "Let's going back to the castle, we need to clean this mess and clean ourselves too." The warlock didn't move, though. "Merlin?"

"You go. I need to do something first."

"What could you possibly have to do down here?"

"Arthur, had nobody ever told you that you are too nosy for your own good? It is not becoming of the future Crown Prince of Camelot." Arthur took offence and Merlin smirked.

"Come on, Arthur. Let him be…" Morgana took Arthur by his forearm and tugged him a little.

The last thing the prince heard while leaving the water chamber was Merlin whispering something and then feeling Goosebumps all over his body.

27

"How is this possible?" Eyes flared gold in the darkness of the room, charged with fury. "EMRYS!"

**TBC**


	4. Merlin's headache

**Chapter IV:** Merlin's headache

28

"Mercia and Camelot signing a treat of peace…" Merlin snorted, _right;_ and then tomorrow pigs would fly and Camelot's ban of magic would be lifted.

"Do you have any problem with Mercia and Camelot in peace, _Mer_ lin?" The Warlock jumped a little after hearing Arthur's voice on his back. He turned to look at the prince in all his glory.

"I shall keep quiet and carry on, _sire_." Was all Merlin said and then he resumed his pace.

"Yes, you do that, _Mer_ lin…"

29

"Merlin…"

"Yes, Gaius?" The sorcerer looked at Gaius without closing the book he was reading while he was waiting for some potions to get ready to get them out of the fire.

"Can you go and search some herbs I need in the forest?"

"Sure, why not. You've got a list?" The Physician handed him a piece of paper. "You need them, in this very right moment?"

"Not really."

"Then if you don't mind I shall finish this first." He noted, returning to his book.

"Of course, my boy… it's not trouble at all." The brunet smiled at Gaius and the Court Physician nodded.

_Emrys…_

Merlin bit his lips hard. He was so tired, because of the nightmares and his insomnia and the mortifying waiting for Nimueh's next attack that his barriers to keep Kilgharrah out were falling. He concentrated harder in the walls made of dark and cold water that protected his awareness against the Great Dragon's fiery mind. He was amazed by Kilgharrah's stubbornness, those walls had to be hurting him and yet, he kept pounding and pounding.

"Damn it you overgrown lizard, can't you take a hint?" He muttered angrily, feeling torn between his duty as a Dragonlord and his loyalty to himself. Right now Kilgharrah was more a liability than help, his (very founded, no one could denied it) hatred against Uther blinded him, rendering him useless on his apparent crusade of bringing magic (peacefully and hopefully with a minimum of death) back to Camelot.

He let his forehead fall onto the book and then he supported his bony cheek on the yellowish pages. He closed his eyes; breathing deeply to be able to hold. His insomnia was taking his tall again, but he knew that in the very moment he let his guar down, Nimueh would strike and he would be damned if he let Arthur die at the hands of the bitch. If somebody was going to kill the Prat it was going to be him… and no matter what happened, he loved Arthur too much to watch him lie, lifeless on the cold floor.

_Merlin…_

Well, he was worse than he calculated initially; if no amount of concentration and entrenchment were keeping the not-so-quite last Dragon out of his abused mind.

30

Merlin was walking the halls with his head pounding and hurting, needlessly to say he was not at his best. He crashed with somebody and only muttering an apology the warlock kept walking, not even looking at the person he bumped in to.

The beautiful maid looked at Emrys and frowned. She was expecting the well liked kid to stop and help her with the things he trashed up; but surprisingly, he just growled a very rude and mindless apology and walked away. She nibbled her lower lip and then made her way toward Bayard's room; she would find another way to make the Sorcerer Emrys hear her very _insincere_ plead.

She walked into the room and opened the chest that contained Bayard's gift to the Pendragon, switching the chalices; smiling maliciously. Merlin Emrys would soon meet his fall and Camelot would be no more.

31

Merlin was playing a lullaby rhyme with his lyre, because that seemed the only thing working with his atrocious headache. The soft and high clinks of the cords echoed in his brain alleviating his pain burst for shorts periods of time.

_Merlin… Emrys… Merlin…_

When the Dragon pounded into his head, making his vision flare white because of the pain, with a clonked note on the lyre Merlin had enough.

" _Stay away from my mind, Kilgharrah!"_ He counterattacked aggressively losing his patience entirely. The presence in his mind filled with astonishment and made a quick exit, leaving faint resonances of his namesake; fluttering in his consciousness.

A few minutes after his outburst, outing himself to his father's Dragon; he was absently playing the lyre, while potions and brews boiled slowly in the table. The gurgling sounds were relaxing and made him feel home and helped him to forget about everything that happened, were happening and would be happening until they day death would come for him.

"Merlin, my boy, I didn't know you played any instrument." Merlin bounced exalted. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you."

"No it's ok; I was just… wool-gathering…"

"Are you ok, Merlin?"

"Yeah… I'm fine."

"And these?" The physician asked suspicious, showing him the empty phials lying disorderly in the table.

"Those? Well, it's just… a killer headache… but the rest, awesome." He tried to smile, but even smile made his head and eyes hurt. Gaius wasn't buying it, but he let it be.

"You played very well the lyre, Merlin. Where did you found it?"

"I… it's mine actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah?" He tried his best to dodge the question; he wasn't feeling so well to have to obfuscate people. Curiously all the things he had in his personal _pocket dimension_ travelled with him to the past, maybe it was because the storage pocket was outside the mainline of his time and space. He found about it when he was able to call forward the mutated staff he gained after killing the Sidhe drowning princess… with his power, the staff morphed until it was something refined and slim and able to stop and pierce almost everything.

"Very well." Gaius left him alone and went to sort things out in the room. Merlin ignored the knocking on the door. All the drugs he pumped to his system were beginning to kick in and he was reaching the point where he could walk in a straight line, but he wasn't there just yet. "Sire." He heard at the same time his magic let him know that Arthur was outside the door. "Are you sick?"

"No, really, I'm searching for Merlin; I have been chasing him for a while now, but no luck. Is he here?"

"Yes, sire." Gaius opened the door fully and signalled the unsuspecting warlock.

"Ah, there he is. Thank you, Gaius. Merlin! Hey, I didn't know you play the lyre…" Arthur commented very surprise. Merlin didn't seem the musical type.

"Yes, I can also play the fiddle and I can do one song appallingly in the recorder. Are Morgana and Gwen ok?"

"Of course, why wouldn't they be?" Arthur didn't like where the conversation was heading.

"Are you about to die?"

"What? Of course not Merlin!"

"Is Camelot in the brink of destruction?"

"Merlin, are you feeling ok?"

"Sure, why wouldn't I be?" Merlin looked at him huffing. "Anyway, if Morgana and Gwen are fine, you are neither dead nor dying and Camelot is as it was a few hours ago, why are you here?" Gaius flinched… this was going to be one of those conversations where Merlin was buying all the tickets to a long trip to the stocks or the dungeons.

"I'm here because, Martin…"

"Who?" The warlock didn't know any Martin's…

"Martin."

"I don't know any Martin's."

"My manservant _Martin;_ _Mer_ lin…" Arthur answered exasperated.

"Arthur, your manservant of this week, it's named _Alvin_." He tried to keep track of Arthur's parade of manservants, in the event that one of them was a sorcerer; trying to kill the prat.

"Close enough…" The Court Physician shook his head, amused. "Well, as I was saying, Melvin."

"Alvin, Arthur; _Alvin."_

"Whatever Merlin! My point is: Alvin is really sick so he can't attend me until he gets better, I don't want to be contaminated…"

"And?" Merlin feared for the worst.

" _And_ you, Merlin, are going to take his place." Nailed it… Merlin thought, snorting out loud.

"Arthur, do I look like one of the castle servants?"

"No, of course not… but you work for this castle and this is my castle…"

"I don't care going and sleep in the side streets…"

"Merlin." Gaius warned, not letting the stupid child finish the sentence.

" _Sire."_

"I'm your prince, Mer…"

"You are not; unless you didn't tell me you were Cenred's son…" He interrupted the Once and Future King.

"Merlin!" Gaius called for the second time, astonished.

" _Sire?"_

"Well, these are my lands and so…"

"Arthur, you are not even the heir apparent just yet, so until your royal posterior is sitting on the throne, these are Uther's lands, so go and tell the King that you want a new manservant and if by any mystery force The King grant your whines; I will just go away, even if my mother cry and wail and I most likely will be grounded until my first child born. I am not going to serve you…"

"Merlin, do please shut up, before you end without your head." Gaius was about to go and shut Merlin himself.

"Whatever, I'll ask for your pardon, _sire,_ while I give you my back." He snarled really annoyed. He didn't mind saving Arthur's life, but in the moment he became Arthur's servant he was just begging for his future to screw up.

"Is he sick?" He knew that he was going to find some struggle, but in his life someone (noble or not) had never spoken to him like that. Gaius pointed the several empty phials rolling on the table. "Merlin, are you sick?"

"Probably." Merlin answered him from his room.

"It's an epidemic?" Arthur looked at Gaius, whom only rolled his eyes. They were big boys; they could solve their issues by themselves.

"Unlikely, it's mostly Camelot and _you,_ Your Royal Highness that are making me ill."

"Ha, ha, Merlin; very funny." Merlin muttered something that sounded a lot like Gaelic.

"Did you just insult me in Gaelic?" Gaius decided to play the plausible deniability card and just leave the room; he didn't have any pressing matters there anyway.

"Would you kill me and end my suffering if I say: yes?"

"Merlin, are you mentally addled?" The Prince looked at Merlin exiting the adjunct room when some whistle was heard. He followed the warlock while working, dampening the fires and removing the probes to cool off. He looked in his element and did everything with practiced ease. "What are you preparing Merlin?"

"Something that will cure my headache or kill me in the process, I actually don't care which actually happens first."

"Wait, wait." He took the bottle off the hands of Merlin. "You're kidding, right?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding? Give me back that."

"Don't you have to wait; so it cools, for a while?" He kept the bottle out of the reach of Merlin.

"I need that potion NOW, Arthur!"

"You are in no state of mind to make the decision of ingest something like this, whatever the hell _this_ is, Merlin."

32

In the end, Merlin ended up in Arthur's bed, dozing after a compromise: Merlin would take the potion _if_ he listed all the ingredients in said brew (The prince wasn't the Court Physician but he knew enough to recognize if something in the disgusting liquid was going to kill Merlin) and was taken in little sips, every hour;in Arthur's presence while he promised not to go and rattled him out to Gaius.

"How are you feeling?" Arthur asked breaking his concentration and looking away from the reports, when he didn't get an answer. The warlock was sound asleep on his side with one hand under his head and the other resting loosely on his neck; his breathing was deep and rhythmic and the sudden relaxation of the sharp features of his face, made Arthur realize that Merlin was at least two years younger than himself. How someone so young got so troubled in life? He may not know Merlin so well yet, but he could see that the brunet was haunted by past ghosts… what could have happened to make, the sweet and kind boy you could normally perceive: bitter and avoidant?

He didn't have any answers, but if he did know something was that Merlin couldn't deserve what he lived that fucked him so much. Morgana told him not to press the issue; Merlin would talk when he felt ready. He wasn't a very patience man and the patience in his body was drilled into him and Merlin always sent his princely training right to hell.

33

"Alvin will be serving you on Monday. Aren't you happy?" Merlin told Arthur happily while tidying a bit the table so one servant could place the food with no trouble; he was _helping_ Arthur; but he refused to do anything more than the strictly necessary. He woke the Prince up, because he didn't sleep anyway, he tidied the short mess Arthur tended to do with his things on his room, one day he helped dress him and he polished his sword and armour for the sake of old times and that would assure him that it was not rigged or enchanted; he even put some protection runes, very little in the hem of the chest plate, but nothing else.

"You do, though." The blonde couldn't avoid the annoying feeling that filled him when Merlin seemed a little bit too eager to get rid of him.

"It's impossible not to be, my headache is nothing more than a dull throb in the back of my head, Camelot is in once piece and so are you, everything is dandy. Don't worry, I assure you: it's not going to last."

"Are you going to be serving me in the banquet my father is throwing to celebrate the treat of peace with Mercia?" The Prince was still astonished that he had to ask (for real) to Merlin if he would do something, instead of just ordering him around, but the warlock made his point very clear two days ago…

"Sure, I was just planning on doing a little of research and then hit the bed early. But I will sleep late anyway, so, no prob, Arthur."

"What are you researching?" The brunet arched an eyebrow, Arthur was genuinely interested.

"I'm researching something that you should not ask and I should not tell…" That should cover all his bases.

"Is this 'research' going to land you in trouble?" Arthur inquired feeling concerned.

"Unlikely." The warlock shrugged indifferent.

"Promise?"

"Promise? What are you twelve?" Merlin reproached the Prince, huffing.

"I'm fond of you, who would entertain me then if you are to go?"

"I'm glad you find amusement in my person, _sire._ " The warlock rolled his eyes and Arthur smirked.

"Are you busy?" The Prince asked after a little bit of thought

"Noup."

"Do you play chess?" He pried, eyeing the warlock. Merlin smiled fondly like remembering something.

"Of course, want to play?"

"That crossed my mind, yes."

"Let me set the board."

"How do you know where I keep the board?"

"I'm all knowing, Arthur." The knight snorted, rolling his eyes and waited for Merlin effectively set the board. "What colour do you want to play?" Arthur always changed places every time they played, trying to defeat him.

"Take your pick." Of course this was going to be the first time Arthur was going to be beaten in chess (aside from morgana and his own father).

"I would take black, then…" He didn't really mind.

"Very well… knight to G3" _So Arthur,_ Merlin thought fondly.

"Pawn to B4."

34

After a lot of babbler that Merlin did not listened, Bayard brought a chest and opened it, showing everybody a chalice worth of a King made of silver incrusted with rubies and emeralds. Merlin was telling something to one of the servants and wasn't paying attention until Arthur called for him and gave him the chalice so it could be filled with wine. Merlin just rolled his eyes and took the chalice taking one jar and filling the cup, Alvin called him again and Merlin just gave the chalice back to Arthur, no paying attention to his hands; he answered the servant whom just nodded and went away then _he paid attention._

The veins on his hands turned black and his fair skin was ashen, he remembered what was going to happen if Arthur drank of that cup… he hurried to where the Prince was and seconds before he could drink, Merlin sealed the chalice with his hand.

"Merlin, what the hell are you doing." The celebration stopped abruptly.

"Don't drink it Arthur, the chalice it's poisoned… Observe." He asked calmly to the Prince, retiring the hand off the cup; Arthur then noticed that the chalice was tarnished where the wine had touched. The blonde let the cup fall and he noticed Merlin's hands, freaking out and sending everything to hell.

"Merlin your hands! Oh My God!"

"Arthur, Arthur…" Well, now everything was a pandemonium, people were shouting; Uther was trying to apprehend Bayard and Bayard was yelling rather loud: foul play. "Everybody calm down!" Emrys commanded trying to bring the circus down. Nobody was more stunned than him, when people relented at his words. "Arthur calm down! You are fine. My hands are this way because I have been poisoned with the Mortaeus flower before! This is how I knew the chalice was laced! It's just a warning; I'm immune to the thing." After he stopped Arthur of having a heart attack on his behalf, he turned to the King of Mercia. "Sire…" He talked to Bayard…

"What do you want, boy?"

"Take a good look at the chalice, sire; is this the cup you brought with you?" Peace with Mercia… that would most certainly made his life easier. The King looked at the chalice…

"No! The pattern was different! I swear! I designed the thing myself!"

"Then we should search for the real chalice to solve this misunderstanding, sire! It has to be in some place in the castle!" He looked at Uther and if the King decided to be difficult he was going to bewitch the stubborn man, he was a mundane as they come… even Arthur was more perceptive to the changes in the lands.

"Very well! Knights! Go and search for the Chalice! No Mercian Man leaves this room until the gift it's found out!

Merlin joined to the search party but he went in opposite direction, when he knew no-one was going to see him, he summoned the real silver chalice Nimueh most certainly just threw the real chalice away. He sniggered when the thing appeared in front of him. He planted it in somewhere less obvious and then joined Arthur again.

35

"Arthur! Look!" Merlin waved to the prince, whom jogged to where the warlock was.

"What is it, Merlin?

"Doesn't this look suspicious to you?"

"No?" Arthur didn't even know what he was looking for. There was just a wall of irregular bricks like every other wall in the castle.

"C'mon Arthur, _observe._ " Merlin requested, pushing his head closer to the wall. Arthur touched the wall and one of the bricks was sort of distended. The prince reached for his dagger and with its help he removed the brick altogether, inside were some pieces of fabric and the chalice.

"What do you know…?" Arthur said to merlin chuckling, showing him the silver chalice. "Bayard's indeed innocent."

"Of course he is… if there is something that Mercia and Camelot share is the hatred for magic… Bayard would never have used a magical poison to kill you…"

"That's how you knew that Bayard was innocent?" Merlin winked at him and left the room.

TBC


End file.
